TUT Solar Team the new Ilanga Cup Solar Challenge 2022 champions

The Tshwane University of Technology Solar Team managed to do 93 laps at the Ilanga Cup Solar Challenge 2022, racking up an average of 48km/h with a maximum speed of 101km/h. This included a mandatory stop of five minutes every time they swapped drivers.

“The Ilanga Cup was a great event to test Sunchaser 4 to its limits and it was an honour to connect with other solar car teams in preparation for 2022 Sasol Solar Challenge. We are really looking forward to the next event and encourage young and old to become a part of the e-mobility community,” said TUT Solar Team’s managers.

The event, held at the Red Star Raceway in Delmas, was sponsored by Bridgestone Southern Africa, a multinational brand and pioneer in energy-efficient tyre technology.

With its focus in developing new solar car teams and growing existing teams in the southern Africa region, the Ilanga Cup Solar Challenge also aims to spread the awareness of renewable energy even further as it continues to drive the innovation of alternative and sustainable energy.

“Conversations on sustainable transportation are in the spotlight and continue to gain momentum. We are excited to partner with companies such as Bridgestone which are striving towards sustainability. We look forward to more successes from this partnership,” said Robert Walker, director of the Ilanga Cup. “We would also like to congratulate the TUT Solar Team for winning the first event of the Ilanga Cup. The weather was not solar car friendly, but the team persevered. We can attribute this success to the STEM technologies, which the team developed to endure both the sporting and the weather challenges.”

Shailesh Singh, key account manager of motorcycles and motorsport of Bridgestone Southern Africa, said, “The Ilanga Cup was a fascinating event. It was great to meet and engage with the solar car teams, and also learn more about their STEM technologies, which are developed for real-world challenges. The reason we sponsor the Ilanga Cup Solar Challenge is that the event aligns with our goal as a global company to be a leader in sustainable mobility solutions. We are a pioneer in sustainable mobility solutions and we are invested in a more sustainable future for the planet, that’s the reason we are interested in the development of solar energy and solar mobility.”

The event closed off with an awards ceremony to celebrate and acknowledge the achievement of all participants while recognising the specific success of the TUT Solar Team.

Source: MotorPress